1991 - Michael Greene Celebrates Grammy Accomplishments

							                                        FRom                         THE             PRESIDEnT
    H
           warm welcome to tonight's 33rd Annual Grammy Awards, the                   gram titled "Music Makes The Difference" to focus attention on the
          music industry's most exciting evening when the best and the                current status and general decline of music education curricula in U.S.
          brightest in music are honored by their peers. The Grammy                   schools. The Commission is composed ofleaders in music and recording
    Awards telecast is now seen in over 60 countries and this year is                 as well as business and government executives. It is the first time that
    available to over one billion people. It is also a pleasure to note that          people from all these diverse organizations and areas have cooperated on
    for the first time ever the Grammy Awards will be seen in India,                  a project of such importance. Continuing education and information
    Austria, Greece, Thailand, Nicaragua, and, ironically, Saudi Arabia.              for professionals and students alike is another year- round responsibility
        Grammy Night is no "one night stand" for the Recording Acad-                  for NARAS. As funding for music in elementary, high schools and
      emy. In fact, our year-round activities and commitment to music                 colleges continues to erode, the Recording Academy is determined to
        and music people have never been stronger. The Recording                      keep music education at the top of our list of priorities.
          Academy continues its vibrant growth and now numbers over                       The Recording Academy started a very important initiative called
            8000 members. We stand on the frontlines of issues that affect            MUSICARES, a charitable foundation which focuses the attention of the
              the professional endeavors of all who create, perform, mar-             music industry on the human services issues which affect music people.
                ket or just love music.                                              The MUSICARES outreach program was started last year and delivered
                      These forces that affect our industry have profound             a powerful message to the public from the music industry about the
                    impact on our community. Censorship, record label-                dangers of substance abuse. Over 30,000 drug and alcohol abuse referrals
                      ing, the protection of intellectual properties, archiving      were generated through this national outdoor billboard campaign, and
                        and preservation, parallel imports and human ser-            again this year the Federal Office of Substance Abuse Prevention is
                          vices are all critical issues which demand our best        committed to continue this initial effort in cooperation with ARAS.
                             united efforts to prevail on behalf of the creative          Only a few nights ago we launched the inreach program of
                               and technical professional.                           MUSICARES. This will address problems such as the lack of health care,
                                     The Recording Academy has been more             pension plans and substance abuse treatment and recovery programs for
                                   involved that ever during the past year in        our people in music. David Crosby was honored as MUSICARES Person
                                     the areas of education, establishing our        of the Year at this gala which was generously sponsored by American
                                       "Gramrny In The Schools" program              Express and coordinated by the New York Grammy Host Committee.
                                         nationwide and introducing            our        NARAS has helped take the lead in many other important issues: the
                                           NARAS Student Music Awards,               NARAS National Archival and Preservation Committee continues its
                                              together with various scholarship      efforts to help ensure the protection of our recorded musical legacy;
                                                and grant agendas. The Re-           moving ahead with the internationalization of the Recording Academy;
                                                  cording Academy has also           the technological displacement of live music and musicians in this
                                                    joined with the National         country; front and back announcing and the difficulty of finding radio
                                                      Association      of Music      outlets for new forms of music; sexism and racial prejudice in music;
                                                        Merchants      (NAMM)        and, more importantly, our primary preoccupation, the protection of
                                                          and the Music Educa-       the creator and artist in our society.
                                                            tors National Con-            Those we honor tonight, our artists and technical people, are the one
                                                              ference (MENC)         key component which we must collectively nourish, especially as we
                                                                in establishing a    continue to grow as a more multinational, divergent industry. A tree
                                                                  National Mu-       cannot grow so large and support all its branches and fruit without
                                                                    sic Educa-       making secure its root system. The artist defies the odds. He or she is an
                                                                      tion Com-      almost invisible person to government funding statisticians, a dispos-
                                                                         mission     able person to business, a convenient source of headlines to fundamen-
                                                                          and a      talist politicians .... and yet the artist survives.
                                                                            pro-          Proof positive is on our stage tonight.
                                                                                         Tonight we celebrate the achievements of our 768 Grammy Awards
                                                                                     nominees. They are all winners! And tomorrow we must continue our
                                                                                     vigilance for our music people and our industry. Ours is a world where
                                                                                     art, business and technology must exist and thrive as one. It's a unique          -I
                                                                                     and fragile mix but one which makes our industry the most dynamic,
                                                                                     rewarding and interesting group of people in the world.
                                                                                                WE APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT AND
                                                                                                HOPE YOU HA VE A GREAT GRAMMY NIGH']!




                                                                                            ~    ~A'dtf:~
                                                                                                   ,   -     ~                 Michael Greene,
                                                                                                                               National President.
                                                                                                                                                                   -
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